Colin’s dream came true as a career path

Ambassador: Award winning photographer and explorer, Colin Prior, 58

The Future Me campaign is part of the Scottish Government’s Read, Write, Count initiative, which aims to improve key numeracy and literacy skills among children in Primary 1 to 3 across Scotland.

Future Me is asking parents and carers to talk with their children about their dreams for the future and share this together on the Read, Write, Count Future Me wall (www.futureme.scot), either as a picture, letter or film.

That’s why we asked Colin Prior, who has travelled the world as an award winning landscape photographer, to tell us about his dreams as a child, what motivates him, how his parents supported him and how he inspires children today.

“Growing up I dreamt about a future in the outdoors working with the nature. I never wrote down my dreams but they were always alive in my mind.”

“My parents always encouraged me to follow my passion and strive to be the very best at whatever profession I chose to follow. By giving me the freedom and confidence to follow my dreams I continued to pursue my love of the outdoors and it ultimately resulted in the career I have today.

“My path to becoming a photographer evolved by trial and error.

“My interest did not begin with books or mentors but evolved through my fascination of the natural world that shaped all parts of my life and brought them together.

“With little photographic knowledge I set out to create a portfolio of images of Scotland’s coastline and was surprised to win“best newcomer to underwater photography”in the Camera Beneath the Waves competition in 1981 at the age of 22.

“I was at the time an operations manager but this was the catalyst that changed my life and set me on the path to become a professional photographer.”

Colin believes it’s important for children to have a dream and hopes his photography has helped inspire children.

“I think it’s very important that we encourage children to dream, because it helps to align their efforts and focus on a single goal,”said Colin.

“I hope that indirectly through my images I have created an aspiration in a child to want to visit a particular country, climb a mountain or go see a particular animal for themselves.

“I think it’s important to engage your children in conversation.”